Rare Event: Mercury will Transit the Sun on Monday May 9

by Brea Aamoth on May 6th, 2016

Photo by NASA

During the early morning of May 9th, Mercury will transit the sun. This happens about 13 times each century and the next one won’t be until 2019. Transit events are when one of the interior planets (Mercury or Venus) passes in front of the Sun from our perspective on the planet Earth. These events tend to be incredibly rare; Venus will transit twice every 243 years, while Mercury will transit about 13 times each century. Mercury will reach maximum transit just about an hour before the Sun rises here in Hilo. However, if one wakes up early and uses a solar telescope, they would be able to view the last portion of the transit. Please be advised: Only observe this event through a proper solar telescope or by using a pinhole projector.

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Originally called the Maunakea Astronomy Education Center, Imiloa was developed in the mid-1990s by a team of educators, scientists and community leaders who understood the need for a comprehensive educational facility that would showcase the connections between the rich traditions of Hawaiian culture and the groundbreaking astronomical research conducted at the summit of Maunakea. More about our history...